Dynamic Software Localization

• US 20090276206A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lane, John, Abbar, Mohamed, McQuaid, Andre, Fitzpatrick, Colin, Farrell, Terry
• Application Number:
  US12/306,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276206A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation

Abstract

Localizing software applications into target languages such as French, Chinese, etc. is time consuming, expensive and error prone. End users often need to install and operate multiple copies of the same software applications localized into different languages if they need to work in multiple languages. By providing a localization engine with access to information about resources used in a user interface and translations of those resources, on the fly localization of software applications is possible. Context information is stored in the localization database and used to identify appropriate translations of the resources. Run-time context information is obtained from the user interface and/or software application and optionally a context information store. In some examples, target language resource results are presented in tooltip like displays. The translation information is stored in a localization database which in some examples comprises language-pair information whereby source language resources are stored in association with their translations.

Claims

1. A method of localizing a software application during use of that software application, comprising:

(i) receiving a user input at a user interface of the software application;

(ii) identifying a source resource associated with the user input and accessing context information associated with the source resource;

(iii) using the context information to access a localisation database to obtain one or more translations of the resource into a target human language, those translations being target resources;

(iv) displaying the one or more target resources at the user interface.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of using the context information comprises selecting between a plurality of translations of the source resource on the basis of the context information.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said context information is accessed from one or more of the software application and pre-specified context information.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises identifying a unique identifier embedded in the source resource and using that unique identifier to obtain a target resource.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the context information comprises one or more of:

a class name, a category, a role and an identifier of a member of a suite of software applications.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software application is a member of a suite of related software applications where at least some resources are common to each member of the suite.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of accessing the localisation database comprises searching for one or more translations of the same resource in the localisation database using all the accessed context information and, if no translations are found, repeating the search using less of the context information.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 which comprises using the source resource to obtain the one or more translations and wherein the localisation database is for a language pair such that it comprises stored information about source resources and their associated translations to target resources.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the localisation database is created using two other localisation databases each for a language pair between the same master source language and a different target language.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the target resources are presented in a pop-up display region for a limited duration.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 which further comprises receiving user input and modifying any of the following features of the pop-up display on the basis of the user input:

colour, transparency, borders, size, delay time, kill time, font size, presentation conditional on use of user defined control keys.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 which further comprises copying contents of the pop-up display onto an electronic clipboard.

13. An apparatus for localising a software application during use of that software application comprising:

(i) an input arranged to receive a user input from a user interface of the software application;

(ii) a processor arranged to identify a source resource associated with the user input and to access context information associated with the source resource;

(iii) an interface arranged to access a localisation database using the context information to obtain one or more translations of the resource into a target human language, those translations being target resources;

(iv) an output arranged to output the one or more target resources to the user interface for display.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor is further arranged to use the context information to enable selection between a plurality of translations of the source resource.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor is arranged to access the context information from one or more of the software application and pre-specified context information.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor is arranged to identify a unique identifier embedded in the source resource and wherein the user interface is arranged to use the unique identifier to obtain a target resource.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the processor and interface are arranged to search for one or more translations of the source resource in the localisation database using all the context information and, if no translations are found, to repeat the search using less of the context information.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 which further comprises one or more localisation databases, each being for a language pair comprising stored information about source resources and their associated translations to target resources.

19. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions comprising:

(i) receiving a user input at a user interface of the software application;

(ii) identifying a source resource associated with the user input and accessing context information associated with the source resource;

(iii) using the context information to access a localisation database to obtain one or more translations of the resource into a target human language, those translations being target resources;

(iv) displaying the one or more target resources at the user interface.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein

the step of using the context information comprises selecting between a plurality of translations of the source resource on the basis of the context information,

wherein the context information comprises one or more of:

a class name, a category, a role and an identifier of a member of a suite of software applications, and

wherein the step of accessing the localisation database comprises searching for one or more translations of the same resource in the localisation database using all the accessed context information and, if no translations are found, repeating the search using less of the context information.